Entrepreneurship Track

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The 12-hour Entrepreneurship Track at the McIntire School of Commerce provides 25 fourth-year Commerce students with the unique opportunity to explore the entrepreneurship process, learn concepts and analytical tools that facilitate new-venture success, examine the sources of financing for a new venture, evaluate a start-up’s ability to make money and generate attractive financial and personal returns for the entrepreneur compared to alternative career options, and apply business principles through practical application with actual new venture concepts and teams. Building on the core curriculum offered at McIntire, the coursework will include lecture, case discussions, new venture pitches, new venture viability assessments, mock negotiations, guest speakers, and team projects.

Prerequisite Course

COMM 4680 Entrepreneurship (Credits: 3) is open to fourth-year Commerce students and the prerequisite course for the Entrepreneurship Track. Two sections of COMM 4680 are offered. The course includes faculty and a number of guests (entrepreneurs, financiers, and others).

Admission

Admission to the Entrepreneurship Track is offered to 25 fourth-year Commerce students.

Admission is first offered to the 10 students of the top two teams (5 students per team) from the COMM 4680 Venture Viability Assessment (VVA) competition. The VVA will be judged by a panel of COMM 4680 and COMM 3791 instructors and entrepreneurs.

The remaining 15 slots will be offered to those who have completed the Entrepreneurship Track Application and been selected by the admissions committee, comprised of the instructors of the Entrepreneurship Track courses. Admission criteria are grades, VVA performance (on an individual basis), peer evaluation scores from COMM 4680, venture concept quality, and application essay demonstrating clarity of motivation for dedicating significant time and effort in the spring of the fourth-year to a new venture concept and the associated teamwork.

Program Requirements

The Entrepreneurship Track involves 12 credit hours in four required courses, including the prerequisite COMM 4680. The three other required courses are:

COMM 3791 - Financing New Ventures Credits: 3
COMM 4200 - Project Management Credits: 3
COMM 4681 - Entrepreneurship Track Capstone Credits: 3
Students are encouraged to take COMM 4200 in the third-year or the fall of the fourth-year.